Button-hook.



PATBNTED APR 14, 1903.

J. L. SUMMER. BUTTON HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1902.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES: '|NVENTOR 2% MI 011mm lims ummlg ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES q JOHN L. SOMMER, OF NEWARK, NEWV JERSEY.

BUTTON-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,166, dated April 14, 1903.

Application filed August 14, 1902- Serial No. 119,594. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. SOMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Hooks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to enable a folding or clasping button-hook to be suspended from a key-ring or the like, to simplify the construction of the means by which said'result is accomplished, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

Theinvention consists in the improved button-hook and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hook partly open. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same closed, and Figs. 3 and 4: are opposite edge views of the device.

In said drawings, a indicates a case-like handle, preferably formed of sheet metal doubled to form a receptacle in which the shank I), having the hook c, is pivoted. A suitable spring (1 serves to hold the hooked shank in either its open position, (shown in outline in Fig. 1,) in-which it is adapted for service in buttoning, or in its closed position of Fig. 2, in which it is adapted to be attached to a keyring or similar device. Said spring cl may be bent as shown in Fig. 2 and at a point away from Where the button-hook is hinged to the handle passes through a hole m in the case. Thus it is held in place at one end in operative relation to the case, the opposite end being free to bear against the angular hinged end of the button-hook to hold the latter in its clasped relation to the handle or in its open position assumed when in use. The

above-described arrangement of the spring, however, is not in itself deemed to be a feature of, novelty in my invention, and I desire to employ, if advisable, any of the usual arrangements of springs common in clasping devices.

To provide a simple and effective means of attachment to the key-ring, I have formed notches or recesses f in the end of the handle or case opposite that having the pivot e, on which the shank 5 works. Said recesses or notches open outward toward the extremity of the handle. Said notches are formed in each side plate or flange g of the handle and coincide in side elevation one with the other and when the hooked shank is closed with the aperture or recess 0, formed by the concavity of the hook.

The convex or outer side of the hook 0 conforms in curvature, more or less closely, with the end of the handle or case, so as to give a neat finish to the closed device and provide against its catching upon other articles in the pocket.

When the shank is clasped or closed within the handle, the hook and recessed end of the handle form a closed eye h, in which a ring or link may be secured, the hook being turned on the shank so as to pass across and close the openings of the recesses, thus enabling the said device to be, easily attached upon a key-ring or chain to prevent misplacement or loss, as will be understood.

By unclasping the free end of the hooked shank the closed eye It is at onceopened, and thus the key ring or link locked in said eye is at once released, and the handled buttonhook is free and clear of obstructions, and thus is convenient for service and the but ton-hooking operations cannotbe interfered with nor retarded because of dangling connections. The recess f in the end of the handle, furthermore, serves as a receptacle for the key ring or link preliminary to locking the button-hook thereto, enabling the user to place the said key-ring in proper and exact position to be locked before the book 0 is closed over the recess or opening in the handle.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the construction of the device without departing from the spirit or scope of the scribed, comprising a sheet-metal handle doubled to form flanges between which the hooked shank is pivoted, the said flanges being recessed at the ends opposite those having the pivot for the shank, and the hook of the said shank being adapted to close the recess to form an eye for the reception of a keyring or the like device.

3. The combination with a handle or case recessed at one end, of a hooked shank adapted to close with said recessed handle, the hook of said shank crossing the recess-of the handle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of August, 1902.

JOHN L. SOMMER. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, RUSSELL M. EVERETT. 

